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SaaS Buyers' Club

How to Make a Pitch Deck for Investors with Pitch Deck Coach Malcolm Lewis

Dec 2, 2024
56:45

In this SaaS Buyers' Club Episode 48, your host, Software as a Service (SaaS) mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyer Omeed Tabiei from Optimist Legal interviews Malcolm Lewis, the Pitch Deck Coach. 

Today, we dive into the art of creating the perfect pitch deck with Malcolm Lewis, a veteran in enterprise software, who has a fascinating story predating the Internet era. 

Malcolm shares his journey, starting at Oracle in the UK, to landing in Silicon Valley during the rise of Netscape and Google. 

He transitioned from working for big players to starting his own ventures, taking a company public and delivering successful exits. 

Retired but restless, he turned to helping founders craft compelling pitch decks, revealing a structured process and philosophy. 

Malcolm's key points are outlined: the cover slide, investment highlights, team introduction, opportunity, problem, solution, product explanation, competition analysis, business model, market sizing, go-to-market strategy, product roadmap, financial projections, and the funding ask. 

He emphasizes the importance of answering all investor questions and countering objections proactively. 

Malcolm's methodical and clear outline helps founders create pitch decks that are concise, compelling, and investor-ready. 

Subscribe to get invaluable insights for your startup!

00:00 Introduction to Sass Buyers Club
01:06 Meet Malcolm Lewis: Pitch Deck Expert
01:29 Malcolm's Journey in Enterprise Software
04:10 The Importance of Pitch Decks for Founders
05:55 Crafting the Perfect Pitch Deck
08:55 Validating Your Business Idea
15:38 Common Pitfalls in Startup Pitch Decks
19:43 Understanding Investor Expectations
25:02 Malcolm's Process and Philosophy
30:12 The Outline of a Perfect Pitch Deck
30:44 Turning the Outline into Slides
30:50 Common Mistakes in Pitch Decks
32:01 The Science and Art of a Pitch Deck
33:49 Key Slides in a Pitch Deck
34:12 The Importance of the Cover Slide
34:30 Investment Highlights Slide
35:01 Engaging Investors Early
38:04 Detailed Breakdown of Pitch Deck Slides
48:03 Financial Projections and The Ask
52:02 Additional Resources for Founders
54:55 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Follow the Guest: Malcolm Lewis

► https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolmlewis/

► https://pitchdeckcoach.com/pitch-deck-coach-library

Follow the Host: Omeed Tabiei 

► https://www.linkedin.com/in/Omeed-Tabiei

► https://www.facebook.com/omeedt

►https://www.instagram.com/saasbizlawyer

How to reach Optimist Legal about your SaaS M&A transaction to explore working with us

► https://www.optimistlegal.com

►Omeed@OptimistLegal.com

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About Optimist Legal:

Optimist Legal is a SaaS corporate and business focused law firm with extensive experience in M&A. When you work with Optimist Legal for your next SaaS M&A transaction, you can rest assured that you're working with diligent experts that are going to get you the best deal possible.

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